Kosh-Külö

Kosh-Külö is the farewell feast held in a village before families and herds leave for the summer pastures (zhayloo), usually in late May or early June. Its first element is the Kipchak kosh, "farewell". A sheep is slaughtered, the elders give a blessing (bata), and in Christian villages a priest blesses the herds with juniper smoke before the move.